Hoyer, Pelosi and Pallone Joint Statement on Introduction of the Toxic Substances Control Act

Hoyer, Pelosi and Pallone Joint Statement on
Introduction of the Toxic Substances Control Act

Washington, DC – Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Democratic
Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking
Member Frank Pallone released the following statement on the introduction of
bipartisan legislation and a bipartisan manager’s amendment to reform the
Toxic Substances Control Act:

“Our federal chemical safety laws have been broken for a long time.
Most of all, they are inadequate to protect the health and safety of our
families and our planet.

“Democrats remain concerned by Republicans’ provisions limiting
states’ ability to act aggressively on toxic substances. However, the
bill grants EPA with significant new authority to protect the public from
unsafe toxic chemicals. House Democrats succeeded in empowering the EPA to
unilaterally demand testing on chemicals it suspects are unsafe for people or
harmful to the environment. Recent changes Democrats made will reduce the
harm of the state preemption provisions in the bill.

“Senator Frank Lautenberg dedicated his career to fixing this law, and
we honor his memory in this bipartisan legislation bearing his name. It is
not the bill Democrats would have written on our own, but it is a
long-overdue step forward to protect families and communities from toxic
substances.”

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